Ramsey Mohsen

How Brands Grow: What Marketers Don’t Know

2013-05-08T04:00:28Z

Below is an excerpt from a great must-read for all marketers out there, “How Brands Grow“. This is hype free and raw truth writing at its best.

“…what works in branding is surprisingly simple – making the brand easy to buy – by maximising it’s physically availability and creating an attractive and memorable set of distinctive brand assets; sensory and semantic cues such as colours, packaging, logo, design, taglines and celebrity endorsements that make the brand easy to like, memorize and recall.”

Read the full article here.

Weather is pretty bad in Kansas City today.

2013-05-03T15:11:51Z

(had fun making this in Photoshop)

Boston Marathon Heroes: TV interviews with Marguerite and Peter

2013-04-19T04:13:15Z

This past week has been perhaps one of the hardest weeks in my life. After experiencing what happened in Boston, it has been harder concentrating and getting back into the normal routine than I thought it would be. Reflecting back on the moments when we were stranded in Boston (because we couldn’t go inside our hotel in Copley Square) our group was fortunate enough to be offered assistance by many gracious Bostonians. I sent Tweets throughout our experience to capture and share some amazing individuals who I believe are true heroes. What has been incredible is observing the power of social media both in real-time and the past few days. Only minutes after I tweeted these photos, message after message started coming in. Many media outlets have been showing these images as examples of the incredible acts of good that came of such a tragedy.

NBC News and The Today Show aired a segment and interviewed Marguerite (the woman who brought us into her apartment) and Peter (the gentleman who gave us OJ on the sidewalk and offered his bathroom). These are just a few of the amazing Bostonians who helped us, such gracious acts of kindness:

And the photos I took of Peter and Marguerite have been shared on many outlets:

USA Today

BuzzFeed

BBC

KansasCity.COM

Tumblr (Peter’s friend’s blog)

Mashable

Reuters

GMA

ABC World News Tonight

And it was hard for me to hold back tears watching this tribute video at the Boston Bruins game, which features a picture of the amazing gentleman Peter pouring us orange juice.

Tweet by Tweet, my perspective of the Boston Marathon Bombing

2013-04-17T05:01:45Z

I’m writing this the morning after The Boston Marathon (right outside our hotel). I’m ready to go home and get out of here. I’ve had it. It’s just uncomfortable. Military, state, and Boston police, Hummers and special ops everywhere. Many carrying rifles and patrolling. I’m still trying to make sense of it all. Most of all- to the families and victims, my deepest condolences and prayers are with you. To the Bostonians, you forever hold a place in our hearts. Your kindness and willingness to help was incredible. Thank you.

Note: my girlfriend (who ran the race) Ali Hatfield blogged in detail what happened to us in Boston as well.

(please wait as the page loads- the oldest Tweets are at the bottom, to most recent, TOP)

^TS

— Twitter API (@twitterapi)

What the heck is Facebook Home? (my KCTV5 interview)

2013-04-05T15:08:12Z

So what the heck is Facebook Home and why is it a big darn deal? KCTV5 had me on to share my take and thoughts on Facebook’s big announcement from Facebook (you can watch the interview here: http://youtu.be/9fAEGeClFd4)

It’s been interesting to watch as opinions and commentary have rolled in regarding this release. Some believe that this “will blow Android into smithereens” (in regards to further fragmentation of the OS, which is a valid point).

This is a great short-n-sweet version/5-min edit of the keynote from Mark Zuckerberg:

And if you want to see the new HTC First phone running Facebook Home, this is a fairly geek- but good hands-on demo:

Whoa… is this really happening?

2013-03-29T04:11:43Z

After the announcement of Google Glass, I can remember thinking how incredible this technology was …so when the #glassexplorers program was announced, I sent this tweet for my entry.

Then, this happened:

The secrets behind Charity: Water and their gorgeous creative design, videos + branding

2013-03-28T14:01:16Z

While I was at the first annual Big Kansas City conference, I was fortunate enough to interview Scott Harrison, the CEO of charity: water. I’ve always been fascinated with their creative; beautiful infographics, emails, videos/films- all CW assets are designed so carefully. Scott shared with me the ‘secrets’ of who is creating these designs, branding, and videos.

The truth about the T-Mobile $70 per month, no contract plan.

2013-03-27T23:05:16Z

There was a big announcement from T-Mobile USA today regarding their new “Simple Choice” $70 per month, no contract plan. While it sounds like a great deal (unlimited talk, text, and data), the upshot remains that if you want the best phones on the market (iPhone 5 or the Samsung Galaxy S3) you are likely better off with the two-year contract from one of the larger carriers (Verizon or AT&T): http://vrge.co/ZVDXty

Also, keep in mind when reading through all the marketing fluff, ONLY if you BRING your iPhone 5 or other hardware will you really save significantly (it’s only $10 to get a SIM card and get up and running). This is truly the only notable news out of this announcement. ***If you have an old phone or someone gives you a phone free, T-Mobile is now a very attractive option to look at.***

That’s just my initial take on this. It’s a really really complicated market right now for consumers with the marketing jargon and packages the carriers are using. And it shouldn’t be this hard IMHO

[Smartphone Review] The new BlackBerry Z10 for AT&T

2013-03-27T22:45:04Z

I’ve had the chance to kick the tires on the new BlackBerry Z10 (http://youtu.be/-mdkadpnFTM). I know you’re probably thinking “…people still use Blackberrys!?! (their hope is that more people will!) And the Z10 is Blackberry’s new big bet. You could even argue this is their last chance + last run at producing a touchscreen smartphone that wins consumers back. Here is my review on the BlackBerry Z10 on KCTV 5 It’s Your Morning.

(btw, i had fun taking this photo at our office- fun shot next to my iPhone 5 on our orange conference room table)

DANCING WITH THE STARS! Angee & Ramsey – Practice #3

2013-03-14T02:42:58Z

So, I’m trying something new. This could be disastrous. And it could be really fun. Watch this to see what I mean

And please, if you can- vote for our team (myself and Angee). More information here:
http://bmafoundation.org

(BEFORE/AFTER) The gorgeous Kansas City snow on my street.

2013-02-26T17:10:39Z

I thought it would be fun to snap a Vine before and after the (second) snow here in Kansas City. Here is what it looks like on my street (below). It’s just amazing how gorgeous and quiet it is on my street.

before:

(before the snow…) vine.co/v/bgFJvnVtHpq

— Ramsey Mohsen (@rm) February 25, 2013

after:

(after the 2nd #kcsnow) vine.co/v/bgEu3i2ew9Q

— Ramsey Mohsen (@rm) February 26, 2013

first snow:

second snow:

[QUOTE] We become who we believe we are.

2013-02-26T16:40:28Z

(i dig this quote below) It’s up to you. I’m a firm believer that you make your opportunities. Don’t wait for them!

(btw, i used one of my photo of the Plaza Christmas lights to make this)

Here is what it looks like on my street right now.

2013-02-21T17:12:47Z

Today it’s snowing (and thundering) in Kansas City. I had a fun conversation with the postman on my street. He is out delivering the mail and making the best of his day (and I thanked him).

25 Things I Must-Have (In My Bag)

2013-02-19T15:27:15Z

I’m often asked about the things I can’t live without. What are my must-haves? I’ve shared in years past my picks, and I decided today (while unpacking from my vacation) that I would take a moment to snap a photograph to share with you what is in my bag.

Here is what is in my bag:

The Basics:

13-Inch MacBook Air
The best and original ultrabook in my opinion. If you need to crank out a quick email, edit something in photoshop, or even do light video edits- the MB Air has you covered. And the portability and form factor is so comfortable there are times I opt using it over my 27-inch office monitors.

DSLR Coffee Mug
Every morning I’ve gotta have my coffee. And why not drink in geek style with a look-a-like Canon DSLR lens coffee mug? You’ll never mistake which drink is yours with this thing. And it’s only $12′ish on Amazon.

NCase 13″ Neoprene Slim Sleeve
Even though I put my MacBook Air in a bag, I believe it’s important to have the maximum padding possible (you never know when you’ll drop your bag or run into something). Plus you can take this sleeve out of your bag for a quick carrying case if needed.

Shirts and Style:

Timberland Messenger Bag
A leather messenger bag works for meetings with clients AND is casual enough that when you just throw it over your shoulder to take to the coffee shop, it works too (sorry there isn’t a link to buy it- they stopped making it).

Brooks Brothers Non-Iron Slim Fit Shirts
Ask anyone who has put one of these on, Brooks Brothers dress shirts are great. These shirts don’t have that annoying loose fitting fabric on your lower back (which usually gets wrinkled and untucked). These shirts are tailored and trimmed perfectly. I’ve literally donated all my old dress shirts and only have these.

Converse Chuck Taylors
Do I even need to explain why? I don’t care if you’re a kid or a grown-up, you’ve gotta have a pair.

Ray-Ban Wayfarer Polarized
The always appropriate and never out of style go-to sunglasses of choice.

J-Crew Magic Wallet
You’re never too old to enjoy the convenience and mystery of owning a magic wallet.

Geek Stuff:

Jawbone Jambox
This little speaker can blast. Battery lasts forever. And it’s great for conference calls. And the best part is it pairs with both your computer or smartphone via Bluetooth.

Canon S95
Having a point-n-shoot handy is important. And while this camera is small, it packs a huge punch. Many of my friends can’t tell a difference between photos I’ve taken with my S95 vs. my more expensive DSLR (the new version of this camera is the S110).

Bose In-Ear 2 Headphones
These headphones fit my weird shaped ears perfectly. And they sound great. Bonus points for the fact they double has a iPhone headset since they have a microphone on them. I use those most often when I travel.

GoPro HERO3
The versatility of a GoPro is amazing. And the size of the camera is mind-blowing. I like to have this with me now as my “second shooter” camera (i use the wireless controls a lot to take remote shots).

Mac Laptop “PlugBug“
This little attachment turns your Apple laptop power adaptor into 2 functions in 1. This allows you to power and charge your laptop, but then also gives you access to USB power (which typically i plug my iPhone charger cord into). Slick and easy. Helps clean-up cord carrying mess.

Microsoft Wireless Mouse 3500 Edition
There are sometimes when your trackpad just doesn’t cut it. I keep this wireless mouse in my bag for those moments and minutes when you want to go back to using a traditional mouse (especially for Photoshop and iMovie video editing). And I dig how the USB receiver snaps and hides itself into the bottom of the mouse.

Canon T3i
This is my DLSR of choice given it’s video capabilities. While I dream of having a Mark version of the Canon DLSR cameras, the size, weight, and performance for it’s price makes the T3i one of my favorite gadgets I own (and i love photography).

GorrillaPod
This flexible camera tripod thingy makes it super easy to mount either my GoPro or DLSR anywhere I want (flat ground, poles, walls, etc.). Easy and simple to setup.

BlackRapid Metro Camera Strap
When you’re out photowalking or being touristy, sometimes you want a camera strap that’s comfortable. This is a great sling that makes it easy to take quick shots and then drop your camera without worrying about it falling off your shoulder.

Misc Stuff:

Business cards
Baseball trading cards for networking. Gotta have them on you.

Zeiss Lens Cleaner Wipes
I’m obsessed with keeping my screens, phones, lenses, keyboards, etc. clean. These handy wipes are cheap and disposable. I keep a box at work and at home.

Uni-ball Vision Waterproof / Fade-Proof Pen
My pen of choice at work. Writes smooth, fine tip and doesn’t smear on paper- even for me as a left-hander.

Magazines: Wired, Inc, Rolling Stone, Fast Company
Print isn’t dead. Curling up to a good magazine is something I still very much look forward too. Wired = because I’m a geek, Inc = for the entrepreneurial fix I need, Rolling Stone = because I’m obsessed with music, and Fast Company = also because I’m a geek.

Square Reader Mobile Payment
There are times when you need to have your friends pay you back- and cash isn’t always on hand (e.g. those times someone covers for dinner or drinks). Keeping a Square in your bag comes in handy.

[SLIDES] How Businesses Connect In The Connected Consumer World

2013-02-18T17:12:46Z

In the spirit of sharing, open research, and just being helpful- I post the PPTs from presentations and speaking gigs here on my blog. I was asked to keynote the #ICWA conference in regards to social media and how businesses are connecting. Here is a fun GoPro photo I took of the audience before my presentation

And here is the PPT deck from the keynote I gave.

How Businesses Connect In The Connected Consumer World from Ramsey Mohsen

For the breakout sessions, I held two sessions:

Social Media – Marketing in the 21st Century from Ramsey Mohsen

TIPS: Expanding Your Website and Increasing SEO from Ramsey Mohsen

[GoPro video] riding the slide at St. Pete Beach Florida!

2013-02-14T04:07:44Z

I’ve been having fun taking pictures and video with my new GoPro HERO3 (so far i remain impressed). I took it along with me on this slide at our hotel today. Check out this video (BTW, the song in the video you can download for free here).

LinkedIn goes for the ego stroke. Deceptive or effective?

2013-02-13T02:54:54Z

Did you get an email like this today?

It is interesting to debate if this was smart of LinkedIn to send this email from a PR/ marketing standpoint. 2 million people recieved the “Top 1% Most Viewed Profile”, others got the 5% email, and 20 million people received the 10% email. Vanity tactics like this remain a staple in terms of a tactic that will generate user participation to share content like this, it makes people feel important + influential (this formula is nothing new). But it would be interesting to see the metrics after today in regards to how many people who aren’t job seekers went back into their account to review their profiles, browse the network, and just kick the tires again. For LinkedIn, while they might catch some negative PR flack for the deceptiveness, they may be the ultimate winners by getting inactive users to rediscover LinkedIn again.

Interesting to watch as others have chimed-in with their opinions…

J.D. Rucker at Soshable rants about the number trickery:

When you really think about it, it’s not as much of an accomplishment as a great marketing ploy by LinkedIn to get their name out there and into conversations on Twitter. Top of mind… The math makes it seem less impressive. Even those who received the top 1% email might not have been as quick to brag about it had they realized they were one of over 2 million users to receive the honor.

Danny Brown has concerns of the long-term effects:

The problem is, ego-stroking this way generally doesn’t work long-term. Now that LinkedIn has placed these “1% leaders” on a pedestal, will they continue to make them feel special with regular outreach? Will they answer their email questions to support quicker than the rest of LinkedIn’s non-1% userbase? If you truly want to sustain long-term benefits and buzz around your brand, it takes more than a warm, fuzzy email as a one-off viral push.

What do you think? Deceptive or effective?

–

#focus. Keep the negative things & people out of your life.

2013-02-11T23:56:21Z

Stay #focused. Keep the negative things & people out of your life. Great stuff @briansolis! @ DEG instagr.am/p/VmhqXkOBkk/

— Ramsey Mohsen (@rm) February 11, 2013

Hackovate Health, a great event I’m emceeing next month.

2013-01-31T18:02:34Z

The Hackovate Health team sent me this photo today. It’s the new venue in Kansas City where the finale + presentations are taking place Feb 26th. This new theater (which looks awesome!) is called the “Extreme Screen” at Union Station. It’s a 60-foot wide screen, 1100 square foot stage, and seats 440 people. I’m honored to be emceeing this event (which is free to attend btw). It will be fun to see what the teams come up with- it’s a competition to see what mobile, digital, social technologies can be created to help address the core healthcare ACA issues/needs. Here are details on the competition. (they’re giving away $15,000 to the winner and free travel options as well).

Pretty cool place to hold this event- a great addition to Kansas City!

It’s true… [QUOTE]

2013-01-30T16:03:08Z

The new shiny object (that is pretty cool), ‘Vine’ App

2013-01-28T19:26:58Z

It’s been really interesting tracking the launch of ‘Vine‘, a new video sharing App (acquired previously by Twitter). When Viddy was released, I thought their “Instagram for Video” formula was solid. However, what Vine does that Viddy does not- it’s a perfect compliment to an existing network, Twitter. At first the idea of only getting 6 seconds to record a video seems insufficient. But then again, so was 140 characters to write a message. After recording a few videos, the 6-second constraint really requires you to be creative with less. Interesting also to note this is primarily a ‘mobile first’ App (similar to how Instagram was born).

This App is going to be fun to follow in the coming months. Even brands and businesses could benefit in using this (to create short how-to videos and customer service replies). What most people don’t know yet is you can embed Tweets (HTML block) and the Tweet and the video embed loop and play. Super slick.

(btw, if you’re jumping on board using the new App ‘Vine‘, you can follow me at, “Ramsey Mohsen”)

Here is my first post from this weekend:

Awesome use of tech + fitness. I’m digging the virtual running paths on my treadmill! #dialitupto11 vine.co/v/bJbqHd0heEq

— Ramsey Mohsen (@rm) January 27, 2013

[SLIDES] 10 Tips for Social Media Success in 2013

2013-01-22T04:05:42Z

Coordinating and integrating social media into your overall cross-channel marketing mix is not easy. ExactTarget asked me to speak at an event in Kansas City regarding social media (Exact Target 3Sixty Live). Here are the slides from my ’10 tips’ preso in regards to making SoMe successful for your organization in 2013:

10 tips for social media success in 2013 (Exact Target 3Sixty Live) from Ramsey Mohsen

Is this the future of the Camera Phone App?

2013-01-22T03:32:52Z

Soon, you may not need to smile for that 1 shot. This v-blog (below, jump to 0:30 seconds) is of the new BlackBerry 10 running the “Time Shift” function on it’s camera App. Essentially what you are seeing is the App’s ability to capture many frames in the span of a few seconds. So even if you blink- you just drag and rewind/fast-forward to find that 1 frame you like (and then save out the photo).

This is pretty slick isn’t it?

And even more surprising this is from BlackBerry!?!

Facebook Invents A New Way To Search

2013-01-16T18:15:01Z

There were some ambitious predictions for Facebook’s big announcement today. A dedicated phone? A new mobile app? Redesigned News Feed? Nope (not today at least). Facebook’s latest innovation? Search. Facebook announced today “Graph Search” Beta has been developed and will be available to select users (the idea being in the future it’s a feature everyone on Facebook will be able to access and use).

What is Facebook Graph Search?

Graph Search allows you to sort and filter through anything anyone has shared on Facebook. Unlike Google where search results based on specific keywords- Facebook Graph Search is aggregating custom and specific content only your friends have shared. This means each person sees unique results (with Google, a search for certain keywords returns the exact same results for others around the world).

Wait- how is it different than Google?

Facebook made it very clear- it’s not like Google. Web search is different:

Graph Search and web search are very different. Web search is designed to take a set of keywords (for example: “hip hop”) and provide the best possible results that match those keywords. With Graph Search you combine phrases (for example: “my friends in New York who like Jay-Z”) to get that set of people, places, photos or other content that’s been shared on Facebook. We believe they have very different uses.

For example, “Indian Food!”

Let’s say you’re in San Francisco and you want to eat Indian Food. Rather than using Yelp (recommendations from strangers), you could type into Facebook: “show me Indian restaurants in San Francisco my friends from India like”. Like this:

(photos by CNET)

Or if you’re looking for a new dentist …you could type into Facebook:

“Show me dentists liked by my friends”

I can see how this type of searching could be very helpful for travelers. And useful for job searches. Or just “Who do I know that does _____?” Even for journalists can use this new feature for reporting.

Search is Facebook’s tailbone

Research analyst Jeremiah Owyang accurately cited in December that, “Search is Facebook’s tailbone.” Why? Your data is in Facebook. And so is the data of all your closest friends and family. The idea of Facebook letting you harness and access all this content in your social graph in this way is powerful (until now, it has been locked up in your News Feed and your Timeline).

Graph Search will suck if your friends suck

I’ve blogged about this before, but Facebook sucks if your friends suck. The value of Facebook is dependent upon the people you are friends with. To return any results (content) Graph Search is dependent upon that YOUR friends are sharing and creating content- it’s a direct correlation. Something to keep in mind when opinions and reviews start coming in about this feature. Your friend’s content they’ve posted to Facebook will define what you experience (and for some people, it might be rather disappointing).

The implications for business and brands

For brands and businesses who already have an audience that is mentioning, posting, checking-in, and tagging their brand photos on Facebook- Graph Search could have immediate positive results. However we may see marketers employ more promotional tactics like “post a photo, check-in, and tag us on Facebook” (throughout all mediums; TV, print, signage, brick and mortar etc). With how Graph Search functions- unless your brand has content IN Facebook, your results won’t appear in search. It’s unclear if Sponsored Results will be enabled for Graph Search, but they already have this ad model- so expect some of the bigger brands to make a play for advertising when this feature rolls out to the public.

ZDNet has an excellent write-up of best practices (initial) in terms of optimizing your brand page for Graph Search:

Howard Lo writes:

Number of likes becomes more important–since search will begin with people connected to Pages, the more people liking your Page means more people connected and thus the higher frequency of showing in search results.

Fill out Page fields properly–for your business Page, ensure each field is filled out with the relevant, properly-formatted information. Don’t try to create your own sub-category, follow the standards. Don’t put text into phone number fields. Facebook should be pulling lots of data from these fields.

For the open-ended text in description fields, write copy that includes keywords, as if you’re writing copy for Google to “crawl”.

Tag your photos with locations, such as your business, and dates–I wonder if there is opportunity here to somehow create searchable product catalogs.

Tag your photos with a Page name (for example, my business Page is “Standing Sushi Bar”)–Assuming Facebook treats a photo where Standing Sushi Bar is tagged similarly to how it treats a tagged human, then “Show me photos of Standing Sushi Bar” would show photos tagged with Standing Sushi Bar. Slightly different than tagging location.

Privacy: should you be worried?

Facebook has assured that only content that you’ve set to be shar-able is what your friends will have access too. Meaning, only content that has been shared with you from your friends is eligible to appear in the results. Here is the official video Facebook created to show how privacy works with Graph Search:

User experience

My first take on the UI is this is a new behavior for the average person to learn. It’s not natural to think in terms of filters. This kind of search that requires ‘new thinking’ in how and what you can search. It’s a much more linear train of thought similar to how programmers and developers think (and for them, because it’s reminiscent of ‘if this then that’ logic and queries, which will come much more naturally for them).

Things could get interesting…

Similar to when News Feed was released- there is already a lot of discussion of all the funny but perhaps inappropriate things that could be uncovered and like these screenshots below. Gizmodo has gone as far as saying “these are just horrible“.

(picture from TechCrunch)

CES 2013: Tech’s Biggest Show Needs An Upgrade

2013-01-14T00:20:24Z

Yes, it’s that time again. For the past week, hundreds of companies have been rolling out countless products at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) – or what I lovingly call “Geek Week.”

CES is the largest trade show in the U.S., with 140,000 attendees trekking to Las Vegas to push buttons, watch the blinking lights, feel the shiny plastic, and gaze at the huge, crystal clear screens. Yet, the clout of CES has clearly faded this year. There are few truly interesting and disruptive products being shown at CES 2013, only variations (and knockoffs) of the gadgets, software, and apps the big players have already created.

The biggest in players don’t show up

So what has happened? Microsoft didn’t attend this year, and instead counted on its manufacturing partners keep it front and center. When I’ve attended the conference, I always looked forward walking into the Main Hall with excitement to see Microsoft’s massive needs-its-own-ZIP-code booth. A CES without it is lacking. They did make an appearance during Qualcomm’s keynote, but it wasn’t the same.

But it’s not just Microsoft. Many of the big, industry-defining tech companies do not show up, either. Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Google all either did not have a booth or they didn’t make any major announcements. Instead, they have followed suit with Apple by holding a private event, an approach that lets them more closely control access and, by doing so, the messaging.

A hardware show in a software world

Part of the explanation is that CES is a hardware show trying to compete in an era where software matters more. Wired.com’s Mat Honan writes,

“The fact is, hardware doesn’t really matter. We buy phones because they have the apps we want. We buy TVs (or don’t) not only for picture quality, but because they are easy to use. We look for the gadgets that are compatible with our existing laptops, and will export data to the applications we already use. We live in a software-driven world. Hardware is merely the foundation that it is built upon.”

But I think the change is a more subtle than that. Hardware still matters, but CES is less of an event because innovation has shifted more to the software side. No longer does only the “biggest, fastest, and lightest” win consumers over. Consumers want devices that perform the best, are flexible and feature-rich, and have a digital ecosystem of apps and content. For example, many people don’t care about yet another “black slab of plastic smartphone X” because they all generally have the same things (e.g. front/rear camera, GPS, headphone jacks, etc.). Yes, they might be lighter or have a little bit better screen. What truly differentiates those devices is great software. Reliable, robust apps make our lives easier and more interesting. We want simple-to-use software that we can depend on, and we want it to integrate into all sorts of proven systems that we already have and already use.

CES was not and is not targeted primarily at the press or the public. Its main function is to get manufactures and retailers from around the world together to not only see the latest in tech, but to place orders in order to get distribution of these products. But by trying to court those other constituencies, CES is trying to be everything to everyone and it needs to reconsider. This circus can still have the sideshow, certainly, but it shouldn’t focus on it at the expense of the acts in the center ring.

Flickers of the gadget magic still exist

Still, CES has its moments. And it probably always will at some level because we will never stop loving the gadgets and gizmos that that make our lives louder, more shareable, and more fun. It’s often said in the industry that advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. And there is nothing like that moment when you see that magic take hold of someone – their amazement and amusement at a new technology in action. As long as there are still pockets of that magic to be found, CES will still be a draw.

So was there still magic this year? Of course. I was asked by KCTV5 to share my Top 5 from this year’s 2013 CES. Here’s what I told them:

[UPDATE] Here are some of my favorites from CES this year:

Pebble Smartphone

World’s Thinnest Watch – CST-01

Bi-Directional Wireless Charging

Canon “Instagram” Camera

Snapgrid “iPhone” Camera Controller

FaceCase Swivel “Virtual Try On” Technology

Samsung Flexible Displays

FitBit Flex Activity Tracker

Razor Edge Gaming Tablet

“Luggage Tracker” TrakDot

Top 5 Gadgets from CES 2013 [KCTV5 interview]

2013-01-10T20:54:59Z

Yes, it’s that time of year again for CES (Consumer Electronics Show). Countless companies have been rolling out countless products over the past few days. I tell my friends how big it is in magnitude by claiming to them, “This is Super Bowl #Geek Week!” CES is the largest trade show in the US. KCTV5 asked me to come on to share with Carolyn Long my thoughts on my favorite Top 5 Gadgets from CES 2013. Here is the interview.

The Canon “Instagram” camera, #CES2013

2013-01-09T21:18:49Z

My favorite #CES gadget so far? This Canon “Instagram” like camera (PowerShot N). It has several filters you can place over photos. Fairly tiny (3 inches by 2.5). And it has Wi-Fi connectivity so you can wirelessly pull photos from it on your iPhone (or go straight to Facebook from it). The screen tilts, which is good for creative angle shots. Canon says the camera was “designed entirely around one-handed use”. It goes on sale in April, for $300 bucks (kinda pricey- i’d like to test drive it myself before deciding if it’s worth it).

BTW, expect many more wi-fi enabled cameras. It’s almost a “must have” feature for digital compacts. We live in an age where the most popular camera uploading photos to flickr and Facebook are iPhones. So connectivity is key (or get a Eye-Fi Card).

(here are all the geeky specs about the camera)

My New Year’s resolution for 2013 is…

2013-01-07T18:19:36Z

(finally landed on my New Year’s resolution for 2013) This motto goes for everything- family, career, charitable giving efforts and friends. Stepping it up to that next level- and focusing in.

Recording voice messages on Facebook (the App Messenger)

2013-01-04T20:32:20Z

Zucky just released an update to the Fαcebook Messenger app. Now you can record and send voice messages (very very similar to WhatsApp and HeyTell for those of you familiar with it). If you want to listen to messages, you can on Facebook.com without installing anything. However, downloading the App is required to use it on your phone to listen and record to voice messages.

This is yet another interesting play for Facebook. It’s only been a few weeks since they released the Poke! app. It seems they’re experimenting with many different Apps that almost carbon copy existing Apps (Poke vs. Snap Chat, Messenger vs. WhatsApp). This kind of experimentation and quick emulation of popular products is very similar to what Google has done, odd- yet this might be telling of the playbook for Facebook and their focus to nail mobile. Zucky has even said himself “on mobile we are going to make a lot more money than on desktop“.

Great advice and something to think about as we ring in 2013.

2013-01-02T16:26:04Z

(btw, the background photo was one of my favorite shots of 2012. i took this with my iPhone hiking in New Hampshire on a Timberland video shoot. an incredible experience!)